MGMT 421: Advanced Human Resource Management Master Syllabus
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Course Website: Canvas
Course Objectives & Format
Course Description
Whether a management student plans a career in human resources or not they will be making decisions that impact the human capital of the organization. The objective of this course is to teach students how to analyze real scenarios using both theoretical knowledge and analytical problem-solving skills to discover the root problem and provide solutions. This is a case-based course that will require active online engagement. In addition, students will build practical skills in selection processes, interviewing, HR data analysis, and problem-solving.
To ensure success in this course, students must have some basic background in the various disciplines of human resources; such as, staffing, performance management, compensation, benefits, and employee relations. Please note that successful completion (grade of C or better) in MGMT 321 - Introduction to Human Resource Management is a prerequisite for this course.
Course Delivery
This course will be delivered in an online distance-learning format. With the exception of an optional textbook, all lectures, materials, and assignments are available on Canvas. There are no mandatory class sessions scheduled face-to-face. However, significant virtual presence for learning activities and assignments is expected. Please do not enroll in this course if you will not have significant and reliable access to a computer and the Internet during the course.
Please familiarize yourself with the Costello College of Business minimum computer requirements. In this course, for taking the final exam, you must have a video camera and microphone that feed or stream audio and video in real time to or through the internet, and you will need to have Google Chrome installed on your computer. You’ll use Honorlock, a Google Chrome extension, for taking the final exam.
All lectures and learning activities are asynchronous, but there will be several optional synchronous meetings (via Zoom) at key points (at the start, mid-point, and end of the term). These synchronous sessions will be recorded for those who cannot join live.
BS in Business and Management Concentration Learning Goals
By the end of the BS Business program, students will master:
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Our students will demonstrate an understanding of the social, global, ethical, and legal contexts of business and will be able to reflect on the role of the individual in business.
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Our students will demonstrate an understanding of and the ability to apply knowledge of professional skills necessary for success in business including effective business writing.
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Our students will demonstrate technical and analytic skills appropriate for success in business.
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Our students will demonstrate an understanding of and the ability to apply knowledge of core business disciplines including accounting, finance, information systems, management, marketing, and operations management.
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Our students will demonstrate an understanding of how research in the business disciplines contributes to knowledge and how such research is conducted.
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Our students will demonstrate knowledge and skills appropriate for specialization in their concentrations.
Students who are competent in the Management concentration will meet the following learning goal:
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Integrate key components of human resource management (including recruiting, selection, compensation, strategic human resource planning, performance evaluation, employee relations, and employment law).
Course Learning Objectives
- To understand the strategic role of human resources management in supporting the business strategies of an organization.
- To understand how human resources management can help organizations gain a competitive advantage through people.
- To gain a working knowledge of human resources systems and practices that builds a skilled and motivated workforce.
- To develop skills in analyzing human resources problems and determining appropriate solutions.
- To understand the laws and regulations affecting human resources management.
- To be able to critique and improve various components of a human resources system(s).
- To demonstrate a practical, working knowledge of human resource systems through the completion of HR system development projects.
Materials
- Text (Recommended, NOT required): Human Resource Management, Mathis & Jackson, 15th Edition or Human Resource Management: Essential Perspectives, Mathis & Jackson, 7th Edition. (Note: The text will be used primarily as a reference book to help you with your case analyses. At the end of the semester you will use the text more as we cover new topics. If you currently have a copy of either of these texts, they will be helpful to you as a resource, but you are NOT required to rent/purchase a text for this course).
- HR Cases: Free access to cases (mostly from Harvard Business Review) is provided though Perusall, a social reading platform that we’ll use in the course. The Mason library retains the source material for these cases, so you can access the cases free of charge. For the cases that come from Harvard Business Review, you are only responsible for reading the case itself (you don’t need to read the commentaries at the end of the case).
- Supplemental articles, videos, podcasts, and other materials: Links to a variety of articles, videos, and other learning materials are provided directly in Blackboard or through Perusall. All supplemental materials are free to access. You might need to log in with your Mason credentials to access some of the materials.
If you wish/need to do independent research on a topic, please use these instructions to find/attempt to access library materials (HBR cases and other articles):
- Assess the library database
- Click on "Business Source Complete.” Log in with your Mason credentials.
- Enter the title of the case/article and name of publication in the search field(s) (use additional citation information if needed).
If you have any difficulty accessing any of the articles, videos, or other materials, please email me. If you need research assistance (for this or any other course), please contact Kayla Gourlay, George Mason University Business Librarian, kmorrow7@gmu.edu, (703) 993-3484.
Course Policies
Late Assignments
- Assignment due dates and times on noted within assignment submission links on Canvas.
- Late submissions of small-stakes module assignments (Introductory Discussion Board, Read/Watch/Listen & Respond, Selection Simulation activities, Structured Interview Workshop artifacts, Lecture Quizzes, and Exploring Internal Labor Law activity) are not accepted.
- Late submissions of the Structured Interview Deliverable assignment will immediately receive a deduction of 20% of the maximum value of the assignment, with additional 20% deductions for each 24-hour period of lateness. Late submissions will only be accepted within 72 hours of the deadline.
- The final exam will be administered during the time period specified on the course syllabus. Please plan accordingly. If you are unable to take the exam during the window provided, you must notify me by email in advanced of the start of the exam window. There are no make-up opportunities without advanced notice. Supporting documentation must be provided in order for an alternative exam period to be arranged.
Engagement in the Course
While an asynchronous online course does not require physical attendance, active engagement and participation is necessary to successfully meet the learning outcomes. As such, students are expected to:
- view/listen to all video lectures to completion
- complete all assignments by the due date
- log into the course several times a week
- attend optional synchronous Zoom sessions if possible, as outlined in the course calendar
In addition, the instructor may use Canvas analytics to track your interaction with course materials, assignments, and other aspects of the course. Students who are not able or willing to engage in the course in the manner described above will find it difficult to perform well in this course. If you cannot engage with the course in the manner described above, please reconsider your enrollment in this course. If you experience challenges that prevent you from engaging in the course, please reach out to me as soon as possible so that I can advise accordingly.
Evaluation
Your learning in this course will be evaluated by the following tools: Introductory Discussion Board, Read/Watch/Listen & Respond assignments, Selection Simulation activities, Structured Interview Workshop artifacts, a Structured Interview Deliverable, Lecture Quizzes, an Exploring Internal Labor Law activity, and a Final Exam.
Please note that due dates for all assignments are listed in the Course Schedule (at the end of the syllabus) and on Canvas.
It is ESSENTIAL that you engage with the course on a regular basis – several times a week, if possible. There are no shortcuts – you will need to consistently put in the time (3 - 6 hours per module) to do well in this course.
Any feedback provided on graded work will be available in My Grades. Please note that Canvas’s mobile app does not allow you to view grade feedback – you will need to log into Canvas via your computer to view feedback.
Introductory Discussion Board (3 points)
Despite the online nature of this course, I am hopeful that we will create an environment in which you can develop a network of relationships with your classmates. To get that started, in the first week of the course you’ll create an Introductory Discussion Board post to introduce yourself to your classmates, and respond to the post of at least one other student. Detailed instructions are provided within the first learning module on Canvas.
Read/Watch/Listen and Respond (95 points)
Within most (all but one) modules you will be asked to review some form of content – articles, cases, podcasts, or videos – and respond to questions embedded within the content. In most instances, to complete these assignments you’ll be using an online social reading tool called Perusall to access the content, respond to questions, and engage in discussions with your classmates. During our Course Introduction meeting, I’ll walk though how to use the tool. Each assignment will include specific instructions regarding your level of engagement. In most cases, you’ll be asked to respond to each question with at least 50 words, incorporating course concepts into your responses, and also comment on/respond to the posts/comments of at least two classmates. Exceptions to these instructions will be clearly noted in relevant assignments.
Each assignment is worth a maximum of five points. Your responses must be submitted to Perusall or through Blackboard, depending on the assignment (emailed responses will not be accepted). Late responses will not be graded. Failure to complete the assignment will result in a grade of zero. Your grade will be based on some or all of the following criteria: Contributing thoughtful questions and comments to the class discussion, spread throughout the entire content, breaking the reading/listening/viewing into chunks (instead of trying to do it all at once), reading/listening/viewing all the way to the end of the assigned content, posing thoughtful questions and comments that elicit responses from classmates, answering questions from others, and upvoting thoughtful questions and helpful answers.
You are not expected to consult external sources in forming your responses to the questions. If you do use external sources (such as your textbook, websites, or any other sources) they must be cited appropriately. Failure to appropriately cite external sources or attempting to use someone else’s work as your own is a form of plagiarism and will be referred to the Honor Committee for investigation as an Honor Code violation. DO NOT USE generative AI to respond to the questions.
Selection Simulation Activities (12 points)
Prior to the start of the Selection Simulation, you will complete a brief “pre-assessment” of your knowledge of selection topics. The pre-assessment is worth 2 points, and is graded based on completion (Meaning, if you complete the pre-assessment prior to the deadline you will receive 2 points. No credit will be provided for late submissions). As you work through the Selection Simulation, you will respond in Canvas to questions in each module of the simulation (there are four modules). The module question submissions are worth a total of 8 points, and your grade is based on both completion and application of selection concepts. After you complete the simulation, you will take a “post-assessment.” The post-assessment is worth 2 points, and is graded based on completion (Meaning, if you complete the post-assessment prior to the deadline you will receive 2 points. No credit will be provided for late assessment submissions). Deadlines are noted in the syllabus under, “Course Schedule.”
Structured Interview Workshop Artifacts (10 points)
During the Structured Interview workshop, you will complete several learning activities. You’ll submit your work on these activities, and your submission is worth a total of 10 points (five points in Part 1 of the workshop, five points in Part 2 of the workshop). Your grade is based on both completion and appropriate application of workshop concepts.
Structured Interview Deliverable (20 points)
Instructions for this project will be posted on Canvas and will be reviewed in the Structured Interview Workshop video. Following our structured interviewing workshop and using job analysis information, you will create three structured interview guides for use in interviewing candidates for a specific position. Each guide must include a lead question, appropriate probing (follow-up) questions, and a descriptive rating scale tailored for the specific competency/lead question. You must submit your assignment to SafeAssign (on Canvas).
Lecture Quizzes (25 points)
Within the final five modules, which cover “new” content that you did not learn in MGMT 321, you will view video lectures that contain embedded quizzes. As you watch the video lectures, take notes of information discussed (Tip: Download the lecture slides provided to aid your notetaking). During the lectures you will be asked one or more quiz questions. The lecture quizzes are “open book,” meaning you may use the notes you’ve taken to respond to the quiz questions. You are on your honor to work independently on each quiz. Your responses to each quiz must be submitted by the due date, as noted in the course schedule. The quiz will not be available after the due date. When you submit a lecture quiz, your quiz grade will appear in the grade book immediately. Note: After submitting each quiz, please check the grade book to check that your grade is posted. If you do not see a grade in the grade book it means that your responses were not submitted and you should resubmit prior to the deadline. It is your responsibility to ensure that your quiz grades are submitted. If you encounter technical problems, email me BEFORE the submission deadline so that I can assist.
Exploring International Labor Law Activity (5 points)
Within the final module of the course, which focuses on Global HR, you will be asked to complete an activity that involves the exploration of labor laws specific to an assigned country. Specific instructions and details about this assignment will be available in Module 14 as we approach the end of the semester.
Final Exam (30 points)
The Final Exam will be cumulative and require integration of all course topics. A study guide will be provided to you in Blackboard under the Exam Study Guide content area. The Final Exam will be CLOSED BOOK/NOTE and will be a short answer format.
You will use Honorlock, an exam proctoring tool to take the final exam. Honorlock is a Google Chrome extension, which you can get here. You must complete a sufficient room scan immediately prior to taking your exam. Once you begin the exam you must remain seated and visible within the frame of the webcam. You may NOT turn off screen sharing during the exam – doing so will forfeit your exam and you will receive a grade of zero. If Honorlock detects issues during your exam (such as insufficient lighting, voices, use of a secondary device), you may receive a live “pop in,” via chat, from a proctor and your exam will be paused. Respond to the live chat message immediately and correct any issues, as the exam clock will continue to run during the chat session. To avoid these live pop-ins, be sure to follow all of the exam guidelines (including: remain fully in the exam frame, be in a distraction-free environment with good lightening, keep all devices – phones, tablets, smart watches – out of sight and avoid the use of any devices during the test). Please review Honorlock Student Best Practices for more information and guidance.
Grading
I take grading very seriously and I assign grades based strictly on the number of points earned and the grading scale presented on the following page. In general, the more proactive you are in dealing with your coursework throughout the course of the term, the less of a likelihood there will be of a grade "problem" or surprise. I am committed to grading assessments and exams in a timely fashion and will post points on Blackboard on a regular basis. Please check your grades on Canvas throughout the term so that you know where you stand with regards to points. If you are concerned about your grade, please contact me as soon as possible so that I can provide advice about how to make the most of future opportunities to earn points. Remember, I want nothing more than for you to succeed and I am willing to work with you so that you can attain your goals.
Point Values of Each Evaluation Tool:
| Evaluation Tool | Points |
|---|---|
| Introductory Discussion Board | 3 |
| Read/Listen/Watch & Respond | 100 |
| Selection Simulation Activities | 12 |
| Structured Interview Workshop Artifacts | 10 |
| Structured Interview Workshop Deliverable | 20 |
| Lecture Quizzes | 20 |
| Exploring International Labor Law Activity | 5 |
| Final Exam | 30 |
| Total Points Possible | 200 |
Grading Scale:
Your grade will be assigned on a straight scale based on the number of points you earn as noted above. Below is the grading scale:
| Grade | Total Points |
|---|---|
| A | 179 and above |
| B+ | 174-178 |
| B | 159-173 |
| C+ | 154-158 |
| C | 139-153 |
| D | 120-138 |
| F | Below 120 |
Course Schedule
This is a three-credit course. As such, expect to spend approximately three hours per module on instructional activities (reading articles, watching videos) and an additional three hours per module on learning activities (online discussions, completing exercises).
| Module | Topic(s) | Graded Assignments |
|---|---|---|
| Live Zoom Session (Optional) - Course Overview | ||
| 1 | Course Overview, Strategic HR |
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| 2 | Recruiting/Employment Branding |
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| 3 | Selection (Part 1) |
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| Live Zoom Session (Optional), to debrief Modules 1 – 3, answer questions/get to know each other! | ||
| 4 | Selection (Part 2) |
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| 5 | People Analytics |
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| 6 | Structured Interviewing (Part 1) |
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| Live Zoom Session (Optional), to debrief Modules 4 – 6, answer questions/get to know each other! | ||
| 7 | Structured Interviewing (Part 2) |
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| 8 | Employment Law |
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| 9 | Compensation |
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| Live Zoom Session (Optional), to debrief Modules 7 - 9, answer questions/get to know each other! | ||
| 10 | Unions/Labor Relations |
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| 11 | Conflict/Workplace Incivility |
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| 12 | Risk Management (Part 1) |
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| Live Zoom Session (Optional), to debrief Modules 10 -12, answer questions/get to know each other! | ||
| 13 | Risk Management (Part 2) |
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| 14 | Global HR |
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| Live Zoom Session (Optional) to debrief Modules 13 – 14, discuss Final Exam | ||
| Final Exam | ||
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